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MONSTERS! THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE CUDDLY, ARRIVE AT THE WORD

Monsters! The Good, The Bad and The Cuddly is the latest large-scale exhibition in the Port of Tyne Exhibition Space at The Word, National Centre for the Written Word.

World famous monsters - from history, horror stories and Hollywood - have descended on South Shields.

Monsters! The Good, The Bad and The Cuddly is the latest large-scale exhibition in the Port of Tyne Exhibition Space at The Word, National Centre for the Written Word.

Created to mark the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s Gothic horror story, Frankenstein, it brings visitors up close to a vast display of creatures,

from the beasts of early mythology to the modern, digital creations of Pixar and Disney.

Not only can they meet Boris Karloff’s classic movie monster – based on Shelley’s novel - in Dr Frankenstein’s lab, but they can also see what it feels like to be held by King Kong and take a selfie with Sulley from Monsters, Inc.

Monsters from Hollywood’s golden age, such as Dracula, Wolf Man and the Mummy, make an appearance and there are monster-themed interactive games, the chance to watch clips from monster movies and readings of The Gruffalo and Shrek for younger visitors.

The exhibition is once again sponsored by the Port of Tyne in recognition of its commitment to supporting learning and development within the heart of its operating area.

Andrew Moffat, Port of Tyne Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Word is an excellent example of a contemporary learning experience and cultural space – we are delighted to continue to lend our support for the Port of Tyne Exhibition Space which is a key driver of visitors to South Tyneside.

“The monstrous new exhibition is a fantastic new attraction for visitors young and old and we hope as many people as possible find the time to visit The Word.”

The exhibition has been created by Blaydon-based Sheridan Design, which has delivered previous exhibitions at The Word, including Sir Ridley Scott: Past Present and Future Visionary and Shiver Me Timbers: Pirates on Page, Stage and Screen.

But senior designer, Jon Ternent, who spent five months putting it together, said that, in terms of content, it is his biggest project to date for The Word.

“I started with a blank piece of paper and designed and built it from there,” he said. “A vast amount of research and work has gone into creating the exhibition, particularly our giant model of Sulley, which alone took two months to make.

“But as he’s probably my favourite movie character of all time it really has been a labour of love.”

The Word has enjoyed phenomenal success, welcoming more than half a million visitors since it opened in October 2016.

Tania Robinson, Head of Marketing and Culture at The Word, National Centre for the Written Word, said the new exhibition will appeal to people of all ages.

“Everyone has a favourite monster,” she said, “and, as we celebrate the written word in all its forms, we couldn’t let the 200th anniversary of Frankenstein go by without marking it in some way.

“Creating an exhibition based on monsters gave us the chance to have some fun with the whole genre of horror writing and to explore the creatures that have frightened or entertained people through the centuries.”

Monsters! The Good, The Bad and The Cuddly, is supported by Arts Council England and sponsored by Port of Tyne.

The free exhibition – which opened on 17 March – will run until January 2019 and opening times are Monday to Thursday 9am – 7pm, Friday 9am – 5pm and from 10am - 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information: www.theworduk.org, www.facebook.com/worduk, www.twitter.com/theword_uk

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